Bush Uni

Bidwern Butj Uni (formerly Indigenous Ranger Workforce Development Strategy)

Bidwern Butj Uni is a partnership between the Mimal Land Management Aboriginal Corporation (Mimal) and Warddeken Land Management Limited (Warddeken), funded by the Karrkad Kanjdji Trust (KKT).

The partnership is built on the vision of delivering quality bi-cultural learning to preserve and promote Bininj knowledge and culture for the landowners and people of West and Central Arnhem Land. Both organisations have strong, holistic ranger programs with each featuring robust, highly-valued women's ranger programs. The duties of the Mimal and Warddeken rangers include savanna burning (aerial and ground), monitoring the populations of native animals and culling the populations of invasive species that threaten their numbers, conserving and protecting highly biodiverse regions, and running education sessions to ensure the intergenerational transfer of knowledge.

To support their roles, rangers undertake both accredited and unaccredited training, however, that training is not always fit for purpose. Bidwern Butj Uni aims to develop a comprehensive solution to this issue. Mimal, in partnership with Warddeken, have secured dedicated funds from KKT for a five-year program that will address the gap in available and suitable professional development opportunities for rangers. The program intends to create a strong, sustainable bi-cultural adult education through on-country learning that supports self-determination and empowers Bininj communities.

The program's governance structure includes a steering committee comprised of representatives from Mimal, Warddeken, Nawarddeken Academy, and Learning on Country, along with an Independent Chair. This committee meets regularly to guide the program and decide on its strategic priorities, ensuring that the program remains aligned with the needs and aspirations of the Bininj communities it serves.

As a Bininj-led program, Bidwern Butj Uni will strengthen skills and competencies so that Bininj staff can move from ranger to senior ranger, to project officer and coordination roles. This program will then demonstrate to others what is possible when training and development is conducted on Country and in the right way, fostering a learning environment that respects and integrates both traditional knowledge and modern conservation practices.